Empress Elvari: A Beautiful Evil
by sarafine-ecleips
Summary: What if Daine never escaped Ozorne's prison? What happens when Daine gains the throne after Ozorne dies? What if Daine had a daughter? Post EM. AU.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Soft sobbing drifted from the dark cell as small grey bubbles. Following the grey bubbles, Ariaka's bare feet padded silently through the bars and the shadows. The trail of bubbles lead to a thin, scraggly girl curled up in a corner. Her smoky brown hair, matted with dirt and blood, slid away from her bruised face, revealing wary, unfocused blue-grey eyes.

"Veralidaine," sounded Ariaka's musical voice, laced with indigo treads. "He's dead. You are free."

Hope sparked in Veralidaine's eyes as they focused on the petite, frail looking girl that had been her only touchstone to reality and sanity. "He's dead? Ozorne is dead?" she croaked, her voice damaged from screaming. "I'm truly free? To go home?"

Ariaka hesitated. Crouching down by the wounded girl, she said. "Daine, there is a slight... problem." Her indigo eyes apologetic, she continued. "There is the situation with his successor."

"What situation?"

"The situation where he has named _you_ his heir." Ariaka watched Daine's cracked lips form a small 'o'.

"I can't go home then?"

"Maybe we can work it out, but first, we have to call an end to the war."

"Okay. Help me up please." Daine lifted a thin arm to grab on to Ariaka's, whom had begun to stand.

Ariaka lead Veralidaine out of the cells, up the stairs and back to the surface.


	2. Chapter One: Coming home

Hi guys, so I don't really know how good this is so feel free to review and tell me. Stand in the Rain by Superchick is a great song, it just made this idea come to me.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.

* * *

**Stand in the Rain by Superchick**

She never slows down  
She doesn't know why  
But she knows that when she's all alone  
It feels like it's all coming down

She won't turn around  
The shadows are long  
And she fears if she cries that first tear  
The tears will not stop raining down

So stand in the rain  
Stand your ground  
Stand up when it's all crashing down  
You stand through the pain  
You won't drown  
And one day what's lost can be found  
You stand in the rain

She won't make a sound  
Alone in this fight with herself  
And the fear's whispering  
If she stands, she'll fall down

She wants to be found  
The only way out is through everything  
She's running from  
Wants to give up and lie down

So stand in the rain  
Stand your ground  
Stand up when it's all crashing down  
You stand through the pain  
You won't drown  
And one day what's lost can be found  
You stand in the rain

So stand in the rain  
Stand your ground  
Stand up when it's all crashing down  
You stand through the pain  
You won't drown  
And one day what's lost can be found

So stand in the rain  
Stand your ground  
Stand up when it's all crashing down  
You stand through the pain  
You won't drown  
And one day what's lost can be found  
You stand in the rain

* * *

**Chapter One**

**One year later**

'Maman, can you read me a story?' Zarra asked quietly, savouring her Maman's rarely peaceful attentiveness.

Daine smiled at her indulgently, 'Of course, my sweet little glass girl. Which one would you like?'

'The Mage.' Zarra begged, 'please.'

'Okay,' Daine said. 'You just lie back and try to sleep.'

Zarra nodded in agreement, leaning back into her soft downy bed. Daine sat on the edge of her bed and began, 'Once upon a time, a young girl in Galla travelled to Cria, the capital city, to find a job for there was going to be a great festival...'

As Daine continued the story and Zarra slowly fell asleep, Daine felt a soft, faint sadness seep into her. Mixing in with her melancholy, she couldn't help but think that her daughter's life is going to change irrevocably and that she was going to need all the help she could get. Little did Zarra realise, she was going to meet the Mage sooner than she'd ever thought.

* * *

Daine leaned back in the tub, relaxing her muscles in the warm bath. Relishing in the peace of mind it brought, Daine revelled in the few hours before they docked at the Tortallan habour, the last few hours of her secret life. The last few hours of her daughter's hidden, sheltered life before the secret of her father would spread like poison. Daine ducked her head under the surface of the water. Salty tears escaped from her eyes, sobs racked her body, and she jerked and splashed as a seizure overcame her. Zarra hurried over, aroused from her sleep by the splashing and called out for help. Pulling her mother out of the soapy water, Zarra shielded her mother's consciousness, from the pain of her seizing body, with her magic.

When Daine's seizure subsided, she slumped in the tub clutching her daughter's hand. Daine looked into Zarra's eyes sorrowfully.

"Is it time to get ready now?" Daine asked her daughter, time had seemed to slip by so quickly.

"Yes Maman. It is time."


End file.
